Help CenterThe OSI Spotlight Bullet Camera uses a 12V DC power adapter and customers occasionally ask if they can extend the power cable farther from the included adapter.
The short answer is:
✅ Yes — in most cases, the camera will work properly using an additional extension cable, provided the extension cable is good quality.
Power Cable Length attached to the camera
The cable that is attached to the camera is approximately:
- 2 feet long
Included Power Cable Length
The included power adapter cable is approximately:
- 10 feet long
Many customers successfully add:
- 20 ft
- 40 ft
- or even longer DC extension cables
This means total cable runs of approximately:
- 35 ft
- 55 ft
- or more
Important: Use a High-Quality 12V DC Extension Cable
The most important factor is the quality and thickness of the extension cable.
We strongly recommend:
✅ Good quality copper cable
✅ Proper 12V DC barrel connector fit
✅ Thicker wire gauge (18 AWG or 20 AWG preferred)
Avoid:
❌ Very thin low-cost extension cables
❌ Poor quality connectors
❌ Extremely long cable runs without proper gauge wire
Why Cable Quality Matters
As cable length increases, the voltage reaching the camera can slightly decrease. This is commonly referred to as:
Voltage Drop
If the voltage becomes unstable, possible symptoms may include:
- Camera randomly going offline
- Camera rebooting unexpectedly
- IR lights or spotlight flickering at night
- Intermittent Wi-Fi connection issues
- Camera failing to power on reliably
Real-World Example
One of our own OSI Spotlight Bullet Cameras is mounted on a second-floor exterior wall with the cable routed down into a garage area using a long cable run.
The camera has remained stable and operational.
However, in a previous setup using a different camera with an estimated total cable length of approximately 75 feet, occasional instability occurred due to voltage drop and cable quality. In that case, the camera would sometimes appear offline until rebooted. In this case a Smart Plug was used and scheduled to restart the camera once a day.
Smart Plug used in video is available at:
Amazon U.S: https://a.co/d/dsiNhfa
Canada: https://a.co/d/3K8sL08
This demonstrates why cable quality and total distance both matter.
Recommended Maximum Distance
While results can vary depending on cable quality and environmental conditions, most customers should have no issues with:
✅ Total cable lengths around 55 feet
when using:
- a high-quality extension cable
- proper wire gauge
- stable power connections
Our Recommendation
For best performance:
- Use a quality 12V DC extension cable
- Prefer 18 AWG or 20 AWG wire
- Keep connections protected from moisture
- Avoid unnecessary adapter couplers if possible
We also recommend:
1. Connect the camera to the smart life first before you install it.
2. Update the firmware.
Then you have a complete ready to install camera that is preconnected before you permanently install it.
Additional helpful links:
Quick Links to popular Gen 2 Knowledgebase Articles
Quick Links to Gen 2 Setup, Troubleshooting, Features and Smart Life Articles
Gen 2 Features - YouTube Video:
Gen 2 - YouTube Videos: